How do Ofsted reach a judgement on ‘outstanding’ in FE colleges?

1. How do Ofsted reach a judgement on ‘outstanding’ in FE colleges? Helen Groves

2. The picture emskills.org.uk • Chief Inspector’s Reports • Main Elements of the New CIF (Sept 2012) • Implications for Providers

3. Chief Inspector’s Report – 2011/12 & 2012/13 emskills.org.uk • Increasing number of colleges judged ‘inadequate’ 3441 71% of providers now good or outstanding + 7% 25% learners in provision less than good • Slow progress of grade 3 providers – especially colleges • No college judged overall ‘outstanding’ for TLA • 2012/13 – 13 – incl 2 GFE

4. emskills.org.uk Literacy & numeracy standards cause for concern - 2012/13 quality of current English & mathematics provision remains weak- FE now has clear mandate to improve these - Far too many young people from poorerbackgrounds fail to achieve in their post-16 destination & drop out

5. Ofsted Concerns - Curriculum • Attention to learners’ starting points  • Clarity in target setting  • Regularity of reviews & monitoring of progress • Identification & response to literacy needs  • Progression to higher levels of study

6. Where are you?

7. Ofsted Concerns – Leadership and Management • Internal OTLA Reports – too descriptive, insufficient account of learner progress, often graded too high 2012/13- linking QA & PM to improve TLA • “Volatile” standards – up/downs in success rates, inspection grades, instability, mergers, changes in senior managers, financial pressures etc. • Self Assessment- “too shallow’ fails toacknowledge significance of areas for improvement 2012/13 – not evaluative & low expectations

8. Where are you?

9. STRUCTURE OF GRADES – SEPTEMBER 2012 Overall Effectiveness Effectiveness of leadership & management Quality of teaching, learning & assessment Outcomes for Learners

10. Implications for Providers - inspection TLA is central to inspection process & becomes main focus of activity TLA constitutes main evaluation of performance for departments / subject areas TLA & Data are 2 sides of same coin – data historical picture – TLA here and now HoDs & subject leaders are accountable for SR & standards of TLA

11. Senior managers to ensure literacy & numeracy & FS needs of all learners are met as part of main programme Importance attached to standard of TLA in English , maths & FS Levels of staff numeracy / literacy allows them to support learners adequately CPD systematically maintains high levels of specialist staff expertise Poor teaching to be addressed through robust performance management

12. IMPLICATIONS FOR YOU Consider the last 2 slides and identify the main priority for your department / area Your organisation

13. T & L develop English, mathematics & functional skills, &support the achievement of learning goals &career aims - CIF extract To make this judgement, inspectors will evaluate the extent to which: • teaching &learning supports learners to develop the English, mathematics &functional skills they need to achieve their main learning goals and career aims • learners’ progress in literacy, numeracy, language &functional skills is monitored &reviewed, &their work is marked carefully • learners appreciate the importance of improving their English, mathematics &functional skills as appropriate, in the context of their learning goals and life ambitions. • .

14. Further guidance Where relevant, inspectors should take into account: • the success of different strategies used for improving the English, mathematics, functional &language skills of different groups of learners • whether staff have the qualifications, experience and skills needed to teach English mathematics and functional skills

15. Implications for providers What evidence is required to demonstrate how well you have this aspect of the framework covered? To what extent could this be marshalled with 2 days notice? Are you ‘inspection ready?’

16. Common improvement points • Tailoring lessons to meeting individual needs of learners - especially stretch & challenge of more able learners • Development of numeracy, literacy & functional skills integral to lessons • Target setting & monitoring of learner progress based on accurate initial assessment of starting points

17. emskills.org.uk • Setting high aspirations & standards for all learners • Quality of self assessment – especially in TLA • prompt identification of teacher under performance and swift intervention via performance management processes

18. What makes OUTSTANDING TLA? • Ofsted Handbook: “mostly outstanding and never less than consistently good” • Judgement is not just about lesson obs grades i.e. not the sum of a series of still photos

19. TASK How feasible is it to achieve TLA across your organisation that is “mostly outstanding and never less than consistently good” ? What is required to establish outstanding TLA - consider handbook grade descriptors - in your department / SSA/ subject ? - across the organisation?

20. SELF ASSESSMENT How will you know when your area is outstanding? Can you articulate this? Is it shared & understood by your team?